Pop sensation Justin Bieber found himself in the midst of a social media controversy after posting a message of support for Israel on his Instagram account, featuring a photo of destruction in Gaza.

The post, which read "PRAYING FOR ISRAEL,"drew criticism from both his fans and the public at large.

Justin Bieber's Instagram mishap

Bieber's message came in the wake of escalating violence in the region, with residential buildings, markets, and mosques in Gaza being targeted following an attack by Palestinian Hamas terrorists on Israeli territories.

The Canadian singer's post quickly garnered attention, but not the kind he might have expected.

Within an hour, Bieber deleted the original post and re-shared the message with the same wording but without the controversial background.

He had previously taken to his Instagram Story, to express his intention to remain neutral amid the conflict.

"To vilianize [sic] all Palestinians or all Israeli people to me seems wrong," Bieber stated in his Story. "I'm not interested in choosing sides, but I am interested in standing with the families who have been brutally taken from us."

Despite his prompt removal of the post, it didn't escape the notice of some of his nearly 300 million followers.

Criticisms were abundant on social media, with users questioning Bieber's understanding of the situation.

One X user expressed their disappointment, saying, "Just embarrassing. If you don't know what you're talking about, then don't talk at all."

Another criticized Bieber, calling it "insane" to use an image of destroyed Gaza while saying "praying for Israel."

Celebrities take a stand

This incident was not the first of its kind, as Oscar-winning actor Jamie Lee Curtis also made a similar mistake by posting a picture of Gazan children with the caption "Terror from the skies" and an Israeli flag on Instagram.

Curtis deleted the post after followers pointed out the discrepancy.

As the conflict in the region escalates, numerous public figures, including Madonna, U2, Natalie Portman, Gigi Hadid, The Rock, and Gal Gadot, have also voiced their opinions about the crisis situation.

U.S. PresidentJoe Biden referred to the Hamas attack as "the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust" and condemned it as a campaign of "pure cruelty."

In the Gaza Strip, residents are facing increasing uncertainty after the territory's only power plant ran out of fuel and shut down. Israel has imposed a complete siege on Gaza, and the U.S. has announced efforts to establish safe corridors to evacuate civilians.

The war, which has claimed more than 2,300 lives on both sides, is showing no signs of abating as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu teams up with a political rival to create a war-time Cabinet in an effort to quash Hamas' hold on Gaza.